This week started with a proud dad walking his daughter to the door on her first day of work in NYC. In between came brisket at Mighty Quinn’s, carbonara at Eataly, two fast pan dinners at home, an apartment hunt in NoMad, and a Friday family dinner at Sinclair. It ended on a cold, rainy Sunday with butternut squash soup and grilled cheese, cooked by my daughter. It was a week of new beginnings and comfort food.
Monday: A First Day in NYC and Brisket at Mighty Quinn’s
Monday’s NYC rhythm was completely off, but it was well worth it. My daughter, who came back from Florida last week, started her new job in the city. So, of course, Dad wanted to walk her to the door. LOL. Some moments you just don’t miss.
Lunch was at Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque at Brookfield Place. I ordered the brisket rice bowl with sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts, and wow. The smoky, tender brisket over rice, the sweet potatoes for warmth, and the roasted Brussels sprouts for a little char made it a hearty, balanced bowl that kept me going all afternoon.
Dinner was leftovers. After a day like that, that was all I needed.
📍 Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque | Brookfield Place, 225 Liberty St, New York, NY ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tuesday: London to Korea, With Chicken Thighs in Between
Tuesday was a work-from-home marathon, with early-morning calls with London and late-evening calls with Korea. A full day of time zones.
Lunch was leftovers, and dinner was a home-cooked reward. I seared chicken thighs and finished them in the oven, then roasted broccoli and Japanese sweet potatoes on the side.
The best part was the sauce. In the same pan, I whipped up butter, garlic, white wine, chicken stock, and Parmesan, then put everything back in to simmer. The chicken soaked up the garlicky, cheesy sauce, and the sweet potatoes and broccoli caught every drop. Yummy. It’s simple and fast, and it makes a long day feel worth it.
Wednesday: Eataly Carbonara, Then a 20-Minute Cavatelli
Wednesday I was back in NYC, and lunch was at Eataly Downtown. Carbonara was calling my name. Silky egg, sharp pecorino, crispy guanciale, and plenty of black pepper. It’s the kind of dish that’s simple on paper and perfect when done right.
Back home that evening, I couldn’t stop thinking about the pancetta I’d bought the other day. So I pulled out some frozen cavatelli and frozen broccoli, crisped up the pancetta, and brought it all together with butter, garlic, and chicken stock. Dinner was done in about 20 minutes.
It’s proof that a good weeknight pasta doesn’t need much: quality pancetta, a few pantry staples, and a pan.
📍 Eataly Downtown | 4 World Trade Center, 101 Liberty St, New York, NY ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thursday: A FiDi Slice, a NoMad Apartment, and Colony Pizza
Thursday was one more NYC day. Lunch was a slice at Cucina Bene Pizza on Exchange Place for my FiDi pizza list. Not bad, probably a 6 or a 6.5.
📍 Cucina Bene Pizza | 41 Exchange Pl, New York, NY ⭐️⭐️⭐️
That afternoon I went to look at an apartment in NoMad with my daughter. Really nice. Fingers crossed she gets it. While I waited, I had a pint of Fiddlehead at Mason Jar, a laid-back spot with a big rotating beer list. A cold pint in a cozy bar while your kid tours what might be her first city apartment is a good way to pass the time.
📍 Mason Jar | 43 E 30th St, New York, NY ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Then we picked up my other daughter at Grand Central and headed home, with one important stop first: Colony Grill in Fairfield. Hot oil pies, the whole crew back together, and that classic thin crust. It was the perfect end to a busy city day.
📍 Colony Grill | 1520 Post Rd, Fairfield, CT ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Friday: Family Dinner at Sinclair
Friday was work from home, and dinner was with the whole family at The Sinclair in Fairfield, one of our usual spots.
I started with a Bulleit Affair cocktail, then went with a dealer’s choice of oysters. Fresh, briny, and a fun way to let the kitchen decide. For my entrée I had the chicken scarp, with its tangy, peppery pan sauce, and I finished with a chocolate lava cake. Wow.
Around the table everyone else was happy too, with salmon, steak frites, and salads. Good food and good times. Then we dropped off my daughter to head back to NYC, the bittersweet end of a great family night.
📍 The Sinclair | 1229 Post Rd, Fairfield, CT ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Saturday: Field Hockey, Burgers, and Football
Saturday was another sports day, this time field hockey. Unfortunately they lost, but they played well, and there’s always next week.
Back home, we fired up some local hot dogs and hamburgers. It was a beautiful day, so we worked around the house and soaked up the fall weather.
For dinner, we ordered from Wonder to keep it easy and settled in to watch some football. That’s a proper fall Saturday.
Sunday: Old Towne Breakfast and My Daughter’s Sunday Cooking
Sunday was rainy. We started with breakfast at Old Towne Restaurant in Trumbull, a local family spot that’s been around for decades. On a gray morning, a warm diner-style breakfast is exactly what you want.
📍 Old Towne Restaurant | 60 Quality St, Trumbull, CT ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Then came grocery shopping. And then the best surprise of the week: my daughter took over the Sunday cooking.
She made butternut squash soup with grilled cheese. Velvety, sweet, warmly spiced soup, and golden, crispy grilled cheese for dipping. Can you say thank you on a cold, rainy fall day? Wow.
There’s something special about being cooked for by your own kid. For years you’re the one at the stove. Then one rainy Sunday, they hand you a bowl.
Closing Reflection
This week was full of firsts and full-circle moments. Walking my daughter to her first day of work. Brisket at Mighty Quinn’s and carbonara at Eataly. Garlic-Parm chicken thighs between calls with London and Korea. A 20-minute pancetta cavatelli. A NoMad apartment that might become home, a Fiddlehead at Mason Jar, and Colony pizza with the whole crew. Oysters and lava cake at Sinclair. Field hockey, burgers, and football. And a rainy Sunday when my daughter did the cooking.
The kids are building their own lives now, and that’s exactly how it should be. But weeks like this remind me the table will always bring them home.